Fantasy Football 2025 Mock Draft Strategy and Breaking Down Bold Picks

Like the NFL preseason, fantasy football drafts don't count. However, they can be a valuable tool in the preparation process—again, just like those exhibition games.

By conducting a few mocks before getting to the real thing, managers have the opportunity to test different strategies and uncover trends. While this might not be as impactful as an NFL team uncovering a sleeper starter at quarterback, it can aid managers tremendously when it's time to forge their team for real.

Here, we'll examine a few strategies managers can use to get the most out of their mocks. We'll also run through the first three rounds of a point-per-reception (PPR) mock conducted with FantasyPros' Draft Simulator and dive a bit deeper into one bold selection from each round.

Mock Draft Strategy

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Ravens RB Derrick Henry

For managers already in established leagues, it's important to conduct mock drafts that mirror the roster makeup and scoring parameters of their actual leagues. Using a standard mock to prepare for a PPR league is only somewhat helpful.

Fortunately, tools like FantasyPros' draft simulator allow managers to set guidelines for their mocks before getting started.

Strategically, managers can benefit greatly from running multiple mocks ahead of their actual drafts. This provides a chance to try different approaches to early-round selection. We'd recommend trying a few different strategies—double-RB, all WRs, zero RB, etc.—to help identify how each final product looks.

If that zero-RB strategy keeps leaving you without a reliable starter at the position, that might be a plan to avoid.

It's also advisable to stick with recommended picks and average draft position (ADP) rankings in initial mocks. This can help give managers a more accurate idea of which players are likely to go early and where positional runs will occur. The human element will make actual drafts far less predictable, but if that rookie sleeper you've had an eye on keeps getting mocked in Round 4, he probably isn't a secret.

Lastly, managers should take notes of any trends they happen to see over the course of multiple mocks. Are top quarterbacks consistently coming off the board in Round 3, but QBs you like readily available in Round 9? It might be safe to use a late-QB plan on draft day.

Just remember to always be prepared to pivot in actual drafts. Real-life competitors make unexpected selections far more often than mock simulators do.

3-Round, 12-Team PPR Mock

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Falcons RB Bijan Robinson

Round 1

1.01: Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

1.02: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

1.03: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

1.04: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

1.05: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

1.06: Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

1.07: Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

1.08: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

1.09: Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

1.10: Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

1.11: Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

1.12: Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

Round 2

2.01: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

2.02: A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

2.03: Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

2.04: Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

2.05: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

2.06: De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

2.07: Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

2.08: Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

2.09: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

2.10: Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

2.11: Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

2.12: Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Round 3

3.01: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

3.02: Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

3.03: Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

3.04: Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

3.05: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

3.06: Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams

3.07: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

3.08: Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3.09: Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

3.10: Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

3.11: Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, Arizona Cardinals

3.12: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Bold Picks

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Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

First Round: Bijan Robinson at No. 1

Managers are going to see a lot of chatter about Bijan Robinson being RB1 heading into the 2025 season. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one, Saquon Barkley is coming off a season that included 378 touches in the regular season alone. He's ripe for a regression.

Secondly, Michael Penix Jr. is expected to elevate the Atlanta Falcons offense overall, which should benefit Robinson.

Still, taking the third-year back over high-volume receivers like Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson is bold. Robinson did have 1,887 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns last season. If Penix really does boost the downfield passing attack, though, it could mean good-not-great numbers for Robinson, who is still sharing carries with Tyler Allgeier.

Second Round: Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 21

Targeting Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the second round isn't, in and of itself, a bold call. The Ohio State product broke out in 2024, finishing with 100 catches, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He also saw the Seahawks part with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett this offseason.

Still, there's a fair bit of risk involved in valuing Smith-Njigba over pass-catchers like Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Tee Higgins and Davante Adams.

The Seahawks have a new quarterback in Sam Darnold, who was inconsistent for most of his career before exploding with the Minnesota Vikings last offseason. He and Smith-Njigba have no established chemistry. There's also a chance that, even if Darnold plays well, he'll tend to favor receivers like Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling enough to dampen Smith-Njigba's value.

Third Round: Lamar Jackson at No. 25

Let's be clear. Lamar Jackson is an MVP-caliber quarterback who is virtually guaranteed to deliver in fantasy if healthy. Still, picking any quarterback at the top of Round 3 is a bold move.

Yes, Jackson led all QBs in fantasy scoring last season by a fairly considerable margin (49.4 points over Josh Allen). However, taking a quarterback at the top of Round 3 means passing on the entire second tier of skill players.

While Jackson is highly unlikely to disappoint, good quarterbacks are regularly available in the middle rounds. Jared Goff, last year's QB6, went in the 13th round of our simulated mock. Passing on high-volume skill players like Higgins, Adams, Kyren Williams and George Kittle is risky. That doesn't mean taking a QB here is necessarily wrong, but it's a bold choice managers should be sure about before making.